Automatically revolved washing apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a washing apparatus having a pair of nozzles mounted to a nozzle arm to be rotated by the reaction of water jets through the nozzels, a trochoid pump is operatively connected to the nozzle arm at the opposite of the nozzles to be actuated by the rotation thereof. The trochoid pump has a circulation passage of oil communicated with an oil reservoir, which follows to the increase and decrease of the amount of oil circulating the pump and compensates the amount of oil leaked from the pump.

United States Patent Sugino et al.

[ May 27, 1975 1 AUTOMATICALLY REVOLVED WASHING [56] References CitedAPPARATUS UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventors: Kenji Sugino, Uozu;Hisataka Mori; 3,623,665 11/1971 Sugino 1. 239/227 Hironobu Yamagata,both of 3,834,625 9/1974 Barthod-Malot 239/227 Toyama, all of JapanPrimary Examiner-Lloyd L. King [73] Assignee' 2 5: Machme Llmlted U020Attorney, Agent, or FirmWenderoth, Lind & Ponack [22] Filed: Aug. 20,1974 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 499,038 In a washing apparatus having apair of nozzles mounted to a nozzle arm to be rotated by the reaction ofwater jets through the nozzels, a trochoid pump is Forelg ApphcatlonPnomy Data operatively connected to the nozzle arm at the oppo- Aug. 23,1973 Japan .1 48-99299 Site f the nozzles to be actuated by the rotationAug. 23, 1973 Japan 48-99300 thereof. The troehoid pump has acirculation passage Aug. 23, 1973 Japan 48-99301 of Oil Communicatedwith an oil reservoir, which f l lows to the increase and decrease ofthe amount of oil [52] US. Cl. 239/227 Circulating the pump andcompensates the amount f [51] Int. Cl B05!) 3/00 Oi] leaked m the pump[58] Field of Search 239/227 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures H 14 l5 i' 5:5O 12 E i E 3o E I ,z I I Fl k I 4 "$3 34 32 1 6 i 5s A. y w 3| 2:

PATENIED HAY2 71975 FIG.I

FIG.6

, 46 goo AUTOMATICALLY REVOLVEI) WASHING APPARATUS This inventionrelates to apparatus for washing out dregs or rust attaching to theinner surface of a chemical reaction chamber, a polymerization tank, aconcrete mixer, a liquid medicine mixing container, a bewage tank, alarge diameter pipe, and the like containers by means of high pressurewater jets through nozzles, and more particularly to apparatus of theforegoing character of which nozzles are automatically rotated andrevolved by the reaction of the jet flow through the nozzles.

In such a washing apparatus of the type defined above, it isindispensable to provide a means for controlling a rotary speed of thenozzles to desired washing conditions. Because, if such a control meansis not provided in the washing apparatus, the rotary speed of thenozzles will become higher in proportion to the reaction force of thejet flow of the washing water, the reaction force of whichproportionally increases by the jetting water pressure and the amount ofwater. Accordingly, when the rotary speed of the nozzles is too high,the jet flow will become fog, which reduces the impact effect of the jetflow. On the contrary, when the rotary speed of the nozzle is too low,the washing efficiency will be lowered.

A washing apparatus provided with such a control means is known in US.Pat. No. 3,623,665 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Inthis apparatus, a trochid pump is assembled within a head body about ahollow shaft through which a high pressurized washing water is fed tonozzles. The hollow shaft is operatively connected to a nozzle holdersuch that the hollow shaft is rotated by the rotation of the nozzles toactuate the trochoid pump. The trochoid pump is filled with an oil whichcirculates in a closed passage by way ofa control value. Accordingly,the rotary and revolving speeds of the nozzle holder and the hollowshaft are controlled by adjusting the amount of oil circulating throughthe gear pump by the control valve.

In this known washing apparatus, however, when the diameter of thehollow shaft is made larger in order to meet the requirement such as tojet a greater amount of washing water under high pressure, the gear pumpitself and, thereby, the diameter of the head body become larger as anecessary consequence. Accordingly, the washing apparatus having such alarger head body becomes too heavy for an operator to carry and holdwith his hands and cannot be applied to wash containers having a smallinlet.

Moreover, if the washing water passing through the hollow shaft happensto leak therefrom for some reasons while used for a long period andcomes into the gear pump, it becomes impossible to adjust the rotary andrevolving speeds of the nozzles.

Further, it has been experienced while the known apparatus is used for along period that the rotary and revolving speeds of the nozzles becomesirregular, if the oil in the gear pump leaks and air is entered therein.

In addition, it has been difficult to obtain a delicate adjustment ofthe desired rotary and revolving speeds of the nozzles.

The present invention has been accomplished to further improve thewashing apparatus set forth directly above.

Accordingly, a main object of the present invention is to provide alighter and smaller washing apparatus of the type set forth above toallow easy handling by operators and easy insertion into containershaving a small inlet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a washingapparatus of the type defined above wherein the washing water under highpressure cannot be entered into a trochoid pump by any chance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washingapparatus of the type defined above wherein a reliable and delicateadjustment of rotary and revolving speeds of nozzles is insured.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a washingapparatus of the type defined above wherein even if the amount of oil inthe trochoid pump is decreased for some reasons, the amount of oilfilled in the pump is automatically kept in constant to eliminate anyirregular rotation and revolution of the nozzles and to elongate thelifetime of the pump, and the amount of oil circulating through the pumpcan be checked without disassembling the pump.

The aforementioned and other objects and features of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description ofpreferred embodiments of the present invention, when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned front view showing a washing apparatusaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an arrangement of a pair of nozzles abouta nozzle holder,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III III of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an arrangement of gears of a trochoidpump,

FIG. 5 is a view showing the external-internal gear arrangement,

FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned front view showing main portions ofwashing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention, and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII VII in FIG. 6.

Referring to a first embodiment of the present washing apparatus shownin FIGS. 1 to 5, a hollow head body 10 comprises an upper disc 11 and alower disc 12, the lower end portion of the disc 12 being formed of abevel gear 13. The upper disc 1 1 and the lower disc 12 are integrallyconnected with each other by bolts l4, l4 threaded through thecircumferential portions thereof.

A hollow shaft member 15 is disposed in the head body 10 and rotatablysupported by an oilless bearing 16, a thrust bearing 17 and a needlebearing 18. The oilless bearing 16 at the upper end of the hollow shaftmember 15 and an oil seal 19 below the oilless bearing 16 effectivelyinterrupt the leakage of washing water fed in the head body 10 through ahose 20 connected to the upper open end of the head body 10 by a joint21.

The hollow shaft member 15 has an enlarged hollow lower portion 22, theannular upper surface of which is separated from the disc 12 by means ofa thrust plate 23. An oilless bearing 24 having horizontal and verticalcrossed oores is inserted into the enlarged lower portion 22 from theopened right hand portion in FIG. I and set to the position by a setring 25 in close contact with the inner surfaces of the enlarged portion22. Se-

cured to the lower end of the shaft member by a bolt 26 is a cover 27.

Referring now to a nozzle assembly 31) rotated by reaction forcegenerated by jet flow of the washing water, a nozzle arm 31 is rotatablysupported by the oilless bearing 24 at right angles relative in an axisof the hoi low shaft member 15. The nozzle arm 31 has a hollow space 32therein which extends from one outer end to an inner central portionthereof, the inner central portion of which communicates with the axialspace in the hollow shaft member 15 through a circumferential opening 33of the nozzle arm 31 and the vertical bore 34 in the oilless bearing 24.Screwed to the open end portion of the nozzle arm 31 is a nozzle holder35 which has a pair of angles passages 36, 36 communicating with thehollow space 32 in the nozzle arm 31 as shown in FIG. 2. A pair ofnozzles 37, 37 are fixed to the nozzle holder 35 in communication withthe angled passages 36, 36. The angled passages 36, 36 and the nozzles37, 37 are arranged symmetrically relative to the axiz of the nozzle arm31 insuch a manner that the reaction force generated by the jet flowthrough the nozzles 37, 37 rotates the nozzle arm 31 about the axisthereof. Also fixed about the nozzle arm 31 inside of the nozzle holder35 by set screws 38, 38 is a bevel gear 39, which engages with the otherbevel gear 13 at the lower end of the lower disc 12. An annular flange40 integrally connected to the nozzle arm 31 inside of the bevel gear 39receives a leftward thrust in FIG. 1 in cooperation with a thrust plate41 abutting against the right open end of the enlarged portion 22 of thehollow shaft member 15, while a nut 42 threaded to the solid portion ofthe nozzle arm 31 receives a rightward thrust in FIG. 1 in cooperationwith a thrust plate 43 abutting against the left end of the enlargedportion 22. Thus, the lateral movement of the nozzle arm 31 isinterrupted.

With an arrangement set forth above, when the nozzles 37, 37 rotateabout the axis of the nozzle arm 31 by the water jets therethrough, theyalso revolve about the axis of the hollow shaft member 15 by means ofthe bevel gears 13 and 39.

Referring now to an adjusting means for rotary and revolving speeds ofthe nozzles 37, a trochoid pump is provided to the nozzle arm 31 at theother end opposite to the nozzle holder 35, this end portion being solidbut not hollow. The trochoid pump has a pump housing 51 threaded to theenlarged lower portion 22 of the hollow shaft member 15 by an annularsleeve portion 52. The annular sleeve portion 52 has aperture 53provided outside of the outer circumferential end of the enlarged lowerportion 22 of the hollow shaft member 15, so that even if the washingwater leaks along the nozzle arm 31 through the oilless bearing 24,enlarged portion 22, thrust plate 43 and nut 42 in turn, the leakedwashing water is drained through the aperture 53 and cannot reach theinside of the pump housing 51. The solid end portion of the nozzle arm31 extends into a cylindrical space 54 of the pump housing 51 to berotatably and liquid-tightly through a sealing O-ring 55.

An axis of the cylindrical space 54 is eccentrically arranged relativeto an axis of the nozzle arm 31. A rotor or an external gear 56 shown inFlG. 5 is keyed to the nozzle arm 31 within the cylindrical space 54 andmeshes with an internal gear 57 snugly and rotatably fitted in thecylindrical space 54, thereby forming trochoid pump with an oil filledtherein. In communication with the trochoid pump, a pair of arc-shapedgrooves 58, 59 and inflow passage and outflow passage 61 respectivelycommunicated with the grooves 58 and 59 are provided in a pump cover 62.These inflow and outflow passages 60 and 61 meet together at an oilamount adjusting passage 63.

Extending in the passage 63 as shown in FIG. 4 is a screw 64 foradjusting the amount of oil fed in the trochoid pump. The screw 64 has acylindrical rod portion 65, the diameter of which is slightly smallerthan that of the adjusting passage 63. The rod portion 65 extends beyondthe inflow passage 60 but not reaches the outflow passage 61 of the oiland threaded to the pump cover 62 with a sealing O-ring 66 with anadjusting screw head 67 exposing outside of the pump cover 62. As theadjusting screw 64 thus extends in the passage 63, before the oilreaches the inflow passage 60, it has to pass through a narrow spacedefined between the rod 65 of the adjusting screw 64 and the wallportion of the passage. Thus, when the length l of the narrow space isshortened, the amount of oil passing through the narrow space into theinflow passage 60 increases, so that the pressure upon the trochoid pumpincreases to reduce the rotary speed of the nozzle arm 31. On the otherhand, when the length l of the narrow space is elongated, the amount ofoil passing therethrough decreases, so that the pressure upon thetrochoid pump decreases to increase the rotary speed of the nozzle arm31. Accordingly, the delicate and stepless adjustment of the rotaryspeed of the nozzle arm 31 can be made in proportion to the length l byrotating the adjusting screw 64.

Also provided in the pump cover 62 is an oil reservoir 70 whichcommunicates with the adjusting passage 63 through a passage 71. Thepassage locates adjacent to the inflow passage 60 of the oil at rightangles relative to the adjusting passage 63 and the inflow passage 60.The oil reservoir 70 comprises a housing 72 partially threaded to thepump cover 62 and communicated with the passage 71 at the open inner endthereof. A balance piston 73 is snugly and liquid-tightly fitted in thehousing 72 and urged against the oil therein by a spring 74 providedbetween an annular shoulder of the piston 73 and a cap 75. The balancepiston 73 has a cylindrical hollow space 76 along an axis thereof, and asteel ball 77 of a larger diameter than the hollow space 76 is fittedagainst the outer end of the hollow space 76 by a set screw 78.

In such a structure of the oil reservoir, when the oil amount adjustingscrew 64 is adjusted to elongate the length l to decrease the amount ofoil led into the inflow passage 60, a part of oil coming to the passage63 through the outflow passage 61 is led into the oil reservoir 71) andstored therein through the passage 71. On the contrary, when theadjusting screw 62 is operated to shorten the length I, an additionaloil is supplied into the adjusting passage 63 from the oil reservoir 71)through the passage 71. Such storage of the superfluous oil and supplyof the additional oil in and from the oil reservoir 70 is insured by thesimple structure thereof, since the balance piston 73 is biased by thespring 74 to follow the increase and decrease of the oil therein.Further, even if the amount of oil in the trochoid pump is decreased forsome reasons, the amount of oil filled in the pump is automaticallysupplied from the oil reservoir 70 and kept in constant amount, so thatthe adjustment of the rotary speed of the nozzles is insured for a longperiod without replenishing the oil and that the amount of oil filled inthe oil reservoir 70 can be checked by looking at the position of thebalance piston 73. Further, when the oil is to be replenished, afterremoving the set screw 78 and taking-out the steel ball 77, the oil issupplied in the reservoir 70 by pulling the balance piston 73, whilepreventing any air from entering in the oil. h I

Referring to a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the oilreservoir 70 .of the same structure as shown in FIG. 3 is assembled tothe pump housing 51a inside of the cover 27a. Likewise, the a pair ofgrooves 58, 59 and passages 60, 61, 63, 71 for circulating the oil intoand out of the trochoid pump are made in the pump housing 51a.Accordingly, the pump cover 62a is made thinner and slightly exposedoutside of the cover 27a with its spherical surface. The oil amountadjusting screw 64a in the pump housing 51a is made of a needle valveand different from that of the first embodiment.

Although the pump housing 51 of the first embodiment is screwed to thelower enlarged portion 22 of the hollow shaft member 15, the hollowshaft member 15a of the second embodiment has not such enlarged portion.Instead, the pump housing 51a has an inner hollow portion 52asubstantially corresponding to the lower enlarged portion 22 of thehollow shaft member 15 and is screwed to the lower end portion of theho]- low shaft member 15a by this inner hollow portion 52a. The cover27a is secured to the inner hollow portion 52a of the pump housing 51aby the bolt 26 through a spacer 28.

A shaft 44 for actuating the trochoid pump is not made of the nozzle arm31. The shaft 44 has a projection 45 of rectangular cross-section formedat the inner end portion thereof and engaged with a concave 46 ofrectangular cross-section formed at the inner solid portion of thenozzle arm 31a, so that the rotation of the nozzle arm 31a istransmitted to the shaft for the trochoid pump.

In order that any lateral movement of the nozzle arm 31a may beeliminated, the annular flange 40a about the nozzle arm 31a abutsagainst the right side of the oilless bearing 24' in FIG. 6 and ispressed thereto through a thrust plate 41a by a nut 47 threaded totheopen end of the inner hollow portion 520 of the pump housing 51a.

Referring now to the operation of the present apparatus of the bothembodiments, when a washing water under high pressure is fed through thehose 20, the water passes through the hollow shaft member 15, 15a thenozzle arm 31, 31a and the nozzle holder 35, and is jetted through thepair of nozzles 37, 37. The reaction of the jet flow through the nozzlescauses to rotate the nozzle arm 31, 31a about the axis thereof since thenozzle holder 35 rotatable together with the nozzles 37, 37 is securedto the nozzle arm 31, 31a. When the nozzle arm 31, 31a rotates about theaxis thereof, the bevel gear 39 fixed thereto and engaged other bevelgear 13 at the lower disc 12 of the head body also rotates, so that thenozzle arm 31, 31a and the nozzles 37, 37 come to revolve about the axisof the hollow shaft member 15. Also, the hollow shaft member 15, aconnected to the nozzle arm 31, 31a through the trochoid pump revolvesabout the axis thereof. At the same time when the nozzle arm rotatesabout the axis thereof, the external gear 56 secured or operativelyconnected to the nozzle arm 31, 31a within the pump housing 51, 51a alsorotates and cooperates with the internal gear 57, so that the oil filledin the trochoid pump circulates in turn through the outflow groove 59,the passages 61, 63 and and the inflow groove 58. By operating theadjusting screw 64, 64a in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction,the amount of oil and, thereby, the pressure applied to the externalgear 56 in the'pump are adjusted, so that the rotary and also therevolving speeds of the nozzles about the axis of the nozzle arm 31, 31aand the axis of the hollow shaft member 15, 15a are adjustedsimultaneously.

As the washing apparatus of the present is so constructed as set forthabove, many advantage can be attained. First, comparing with a knownstructure in which a gear pump for controlling the rotary and revolvingspeeds of the nozzles is provided in the head body to be actuated by therotation of the hollow shaft, the present washing apparatus actuated bythe rotation of the hollow shaft, the present Washing apparatus can besmaller in size and lighter in weight even when a hollow shaft of largerdiameter is employed for jetting a greater amount of washing water,because the present trochoid pump is assembled in connection with thenozzle arm.

Second, as the presenttrochoid pump is assembled at a place away fromthe passages of the pressurized washing water, there is no chance thatthe washing water enters into the gear pump.

Third, in the preferred structure wherein the oil reservoir is providedin communication with the circulation passages of the oil of thetrochoid pump, even if the amount of oil in the pump slightly decreasesfor some reasons such as leakage while used for a long period, theamount of oil circulating through the pump does not decrease at allsince the stored oil participates to the circulation. Further, in thisstructure, it is possible to know the amount of oil stored in the oilreservoir only by checking the position of the balance piston.

Fourth, in the preferred structure wherein the fluid amount adjustingscrew having cylindrical valve portion is used, it becomes possible toobtain a desired delicate adjustment of the rotary and revolving speedsof the nozzles.

Although the present invention has been described with reference topreferred embodiments thereof, modification and alterations may be madewithin the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatically revolved washing apparatus comprising incombination:

a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passage through which awashing fluid under high pressure is supplied,

a hollow shaft member disposed in said head body and communicated withsaid pipe passage,

a nozzle arm having an axially extending hollow space closed at one endportion thereof, said hollow space being communicated at the innerportion thereof with an axial space of said hollow shaft member,

a pair of nozzles symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of saidnozzle arm and communicated with an opened outer end portion of saidnozzle arm to rotate said nozzle arm about the axis thereof by means ofthe reaction of the jet flow through said nozzles,

gear means for revolving said nozzle arm relative to the axis of saidhead body while said nozzles are rotating about the axis of said nozzlearm, and

a trochoid pump provided at the opposite side of said nozzles to controlrotary and revolving speeds of said nozzles, said trochoid pump having acylindrical space into which a pump-drive shaft rotatable by therotation of said nozzle arm extends, an 'external gear secured to saidpump-drive shaft within said cylindrical space, an internal gear snuglydisposed in said cylindrical space and engaged with said external gear,a closed fluid circulation passage communicating with an inlet andoutlet of said cylindrical space, a fluid amount adjusting valveextending in said closed fluid passage, and a fluid material storagechamber communicating with said closed fluid passage, said storagechamber having a balance means to follow to increase and decrease ofsaid fluid material.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closed fluidcirculation passage comprises a fluid amount adjusting passage throughwhich the fluid material coming out of said cylindrical space circulatesto said cylindrical space, and into which said fluid amount adjustingvalve extends; and said fluid material storage chamber communicates tosaid adjusting passage at the downstream thereof, said storage chambercomprising a housing threaded to a pump casing, and a balance pistonbiased toward the fluid material and exposed at one end thereof to theoutside of said pump casing.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said trochoid pump isprovided in a pump casing secured to said hollow shaft member, said pumpcasing having apertures at a place enclosing said pump-drive shaft fordraining any washing water leaked and coming toward said trochoid pump.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid materialstorage chamber is provided inside of a cover member enclosing thebottom portions of said washing apparatus.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid materialstorage chamber further comprises a hollow space axially extendingthrough said balance piston, a ball of larger diameter than the axialspace and disposed at the outer open end of said axial space, and a setscrew threaded to said balance piston outside of said ball.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid amountadjusting valve has a cylindrical portion extending into said adjustingpassage beyond the place where said adjusting passage communicates withsaid storage chamber, and defines a narrow space between saidcylindrical portion and the wall of said pump casing.

1. An automatically revolved washing apparatus comprising incombination: a head body adapted to be connected to a pipe passagethrough which a washing fluid under high pressure is supplied, a hollowshaft member disposed in said head body and communicated with said pipepassage, a nozzle arm having an axially extending hollow space closed atone end portion thereof, said hollow space being communicated at theinner portion thereof with an axial space of said hollow shaft member, apair of nozzles symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of saidnozzle arm and communicated with an opened outer end portion of saidnozzle arm to rotate said nozzle arm about the axis thereof by means ofthe reaction of the jet flow through said nozzles, gear means forrevolving said nozzle arm relative to the axis of said head body whilesaid nozzles are rotating about the axis of said nozzle arm, and atrochoid pump provided at the opposite side of said nozzles to controlrotary and revolving speeds of said nozzles, said trochoid pump having acylindrical space into which a pumpdrive shaft rotatable by the rotationof said nozzle arm extends, an external gear secured to said pump-driveshaft within said cylindrical space, an internal gear snugly disposed insaid cylindrical space and engaged with said external gear, a closedfluid circulation passage communicating with an inlet and outlet of saidcylindrical space, a fluid amount adjusting valve extending in saidclosed fluid passage, and a fluid material storage chamber communicatingwith said closed fluid passage, said storage chamber having a balancemeans to follow to increase and decrease of said fluid material.
 2. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said closed fluid circulationpassage comprises a fluid amount adjusting passage through which thefluid material coming out of said cylindrical space circulates to saidcylindrical space, and into which said fluid amount adjusting valveextends; and said fluid material storage chamber communicates to saidadjusting passage at the downstream thereof, said storage chambercomprising a housing threaded to a pump casing, and a balance pistonbiased toward the fluid material and exposed at one end thereof to theoutside of said pump casing.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein said trochoid pump is provided in a pump casing secured to saidhollow shaft member, said pump casing having apertures at a placeenclosing said pump-drive shaft for draining any washing water leakedand coming toward said trochoid pump.
 4. An apparatus as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said fluid material storage chamber is provided insideof a cover member enclosing the bottom portions of said washingapparatus.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluidmaterial storage chamber further comprises a hollow space axiallyextending through said balance piston, a ball of larger diameter thanthe axial space and disposed at the outer open end of said axial space,and a set screw threaded to said balance piston outside of said ball. 6.An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fluid amount adjustingvalve has a cylindrical portion extending into said adjusting passagebeyond the place where said adjusting passage communicates with saidstorage chamber, And defines a narrow space between said cylindricalportion and the wall of said pump casing.